ballard



(No Model.)

M. E. BALLARD. GATVAMENIAL SACK.

No. 570,216. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

ATT 0?! N RY.

UNITED STATES" PATENT Fries.

MARY E. BALIIARD, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CATAMENIAL SACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 57 0,216, dated October27, 1896.

Application filed March 14, 1896.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARY E. BALLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CatamenialAppliances; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in catamenial appliances of theclass adapted to support and hold in proper adj ustmenta napkin such asare worn by women during the period of menstruation, and has for itsobjects to provide an appliance of that character that can be readilyadjusted to fit the form, that can be put on and taken off withoutopening the corset, that can be worn without any discomfort, and thatwillthold the napkin in such position as to render it effective withoutbinding or chafing, and that is especially adapted to be worn whenwalking or bicycle-riding. These objects I attain by means of theappliances hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which' v Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the mannerof applying it to a womans body. Fig. 2 is a side View of the appliancein perspective. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the triangular holdersand manner of attaching them, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of thenapkin-fastening devices and the manner of attaching them.

The belt is formed of non-elastic strips joined to four triangularholders k, and consists of the front and back strips D, the double sidestrip E, and the side strip E, made in two sect-ions, one of which has abuckle 2 attached thereto, and the other section is adapted to engagewith the buckle. The double side strip E carries a slip-buckle .h, whichpermits the adjustment of the length of the strip. These strips areattached to the triangular holders 7.; by stitching the ends of thestrips around one side of the triangle,

the strips being of a width to pass through Serial No. 583,273. onmodel.)

the triangle without binding at the edge. By constructing the belt inthis manner it will be seen that the belt flares outwardly anddownwardly from the upper edge by reason of ends of the strips beingattached to the sides of the triangle, leaving the third side down. Thisflaring shape fits the contour of the hips, back, and abdomen when thebelt is placed below the waist-line, as it is designed to be worn.Lappets m, of chamoisleather or like soft material, cover the inside ofthe buckles h and 2' and prevent their irritating the skin. To the lowersides of the four triangles 7c are attached four elastic strips B, allof the same length and of a width corresponding with the side of thetriangle. They are attached in the same manner asthe strips D and E.Short non-elastic strips 0 are secured to the lower ends of both thefront and back pairs of elastic strips B. These strips 0 are preferablyabout three inches in length, and to each outer end are secured thefastening devices 12, which support the napkin. The fastening devices aare in general construction similar to ordinary safety-pins, with theexception of the pin proper, which is formed with a V-shaped bend 0 inthe middle of its length and has its point t bent so as to be parallelwith the shank s, when closed, for the purpose of properly engaging theretaining-shield r.

The extreme ends of the strips 0 are attached around the shanks of thefastening devices n, preferably by folding the material around the shankand stitching it. The napkin A is hooked over the fastening devices, andthe V-shaped bend 0 of the pin takes in the thickness of the edges ofthe napkin without binding, as would be the case were a straight pinused. The napkins being usually formed from several thicknesses ofcloth, it is apparent that this construction of the fastening device isimportant to its easy manipulation. The length of the strips 0, havingthe fastening devices at their outerends, serves to keep the napkinspread and prevent it from bunching. The waist-strips-D and thedepending elastic strips B form triangles both front and rear. This isseenin Fig. 1. The abdomen being somewhat in the form of a trianglecauses this shape to conform to the body.

I preferably employ belting or webbing in claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture a catamenial applianceconsisting of the belt comprising the non-elastic strips D, E and E andtriangles 71;, having a slip-buckle 7L, and a buckle the elastic strips13, secured at the upper end to the triangles 7t, and connected at thelower ends by the non-elastic strip C, having fastening devices 42, tosecure a napkin, attached thereto, said fastening devices havingV-shaped bends 0, in the pins, and the point bent at t, as shown, toproperly engage the holder, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination in a catamenial appliance consisting of abeltcomposed of strips of non-elastic material attached to fourtriangles, four depending elastic strips secured to said triangles andconnected in pairs to a horizontal non-elastic strip, and a horizontalnon-elastic strip, of the fastening devices, having a V-shaped bend inthe pin and a slight bend near its point, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a catamenial appliance of a belt composed of fivesections of webbing secured to triangular holders 7t, and having a slipand a plain buckle h and i, to regulate its length, with the dependingelastic strips B, secured to the triangles, and connected at their lowerends by .n oil-elastic horizontal strips C, having fastening devices 41,provided with a pin having a V-shaped bend 0, and a slight bend t, nearits point to enter the retaining-shield,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY E. BALLARD. Witnesses:

J. H. BALLARD, II. C. BAUER.

